Glee Star Dies from Alcohol and Heroin Overdose

At 31 years old, Cory Monteith has been found dead after overdosing on heroin and alcohol.

Despite his rise to fame on the popular musical program Glee, Cory had been struggling with addiction. Recently he had undergone treatment for his substance abusebut unfortunately he relapsed and it cost him his life. Monteith had started treatment for his problems in April of this year. Reports indicate he had been struggling with addiction for some time before he entered treatment.

The coroner’s office within British Columbia has released a statement claiming that “There is no evidence to suggest Monteith’s death was anything other than a most tragic accident” with a toxicity report resulting in “mixed drug-toxicity involving heroin and alcohol”.

Hotel management at the Pacific Rim became concerned when Monteith did not check out of his hotel room on the 13th of July. Electronic records show him socializing with other people at the hotel the night before and then returning to his room alone. Police believe Monteith had been dead for several hours before he was found.

While no other information is available, it is known that mixing heroin and alcohol can result in a coma and lead to permanent brain damage. Both alcohol and heroin also slow down the functions of the central nervous system. This effects heart rate and breathing and can result in a reduction in oxygen rich blood reaching the brain. If the disruption is long enough or severe enough, it can cause death.

This tragic incident is a sobering reminder of the far reaching nature of addiction. Whether rich or poor and regardless of country the sinister presence of such substances is a constant complication and temptation for those attempting recovery. Willpower is a finite substance and due to the constant vigilance required to fight such a deeply held illness some addicts cannot maintain their fight and fall back into old habits and excessive use.